Hoyer Statement on the Selection of Paul Ryan as the Republican Vice Presidential Nominee

WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement on the selection of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan as the Republican Vice Presidential Nominee:

“I congratulate Chairman Ryan on the honor of being chosen as Gov. Romney’s running mate. He and I have served together in Congress for several years, and I know he cares deeply about putting America back on a sustainable fiscal path, just as President Obama and Vice President Biden do.

“However, I believe his ideas of how to do so are simply wrong for our country and will not, in fact, bring us to a solid financial footing.

“Chairman Ryan’s selection will make this year’s presidential race an even clearer choice for voters. By placing Chairman Ryan on his ticket, Gov. Romney is making the centerpiece of his campaign the two Ryan-designed, tea-party inspired, disastrous budgets the House passed this Congress. They would end Medicare as we know it. They would ask less from those who have more and more from those who have less. Those budgets further shift the burden of deficit reduction onto the vulnerable and middle class alone, and slash funding for critical programs.

“Gov. Romney’s choice also represents an embrace of House Republicans’ strategy of delaying action on our most pressing national challenges. We saw that when Chairman Ryan, and the two other House Republicans on the Bowles-Simpson Commission, walked away from a balanced, bi-partisan solution and voted no on the Bowles-Simpson plan.

“As Americans prepare to cast their ballots this November, the priorities of Gov. Romney and Chairman Ryan are clear. At every turn, they have opted to protect the wealthiest at the expense of the middle class, while Democrats continue to propose solutions for creating jobs, putting our nation on a balanced, responsible path to reducing the deficit, and ensuring that all of our people can pursue the American Dream.”